Templates overview
Templates are a central part of configuring HelpMaster.
HelpMaster has been built around the design concept of using templates to perform common, or repetitive work.
Templates allow a business to model and create template based around their business practices. These templates can then be used over and over again by staff and clients using HelpMaster. The strength of HelpMaster relies on how effectively the template system has been implemented and configured. When you have configured the template system of HelpMaster to match your business needs, you will find that the Desktop edition, the Email Manager, the Priority Manager and the Web Portal all combine to deliver an effective and powerful service management tool.
It is highly recommended that system administrators spend time to fully understand how the HelpMaster template system works, and how each of the template types interacts with each other. Only by doing this will you be able to fully leverage the functionality that this powerful workflow system can deliver.
HelpMaster supports the following template types:
- Job Templates to create jobs
- Action templates to update jobs, reassign, change status, send email
- Email Templates are used to structure and format out-going email
- Workflow templates are used to implement a structured process into each job
- Billing templates are used to define charge-rates and time intervals for financial purposes
- Change Request templates are used as a blue-print to a change request / change management workflow
What is a template?
Think of a template as a blueprint of a particular entity from which new entities can be based upon. A template is thus used to speed the process of performing a repetitive task while at the same time maintaining a standard method of performing such a task. A single template can be used over and over again.
Each template will produce an exact copy of itself which may then be modified.
Icons used throughout HelpMaster
| Icon | Template Type |
|---|---|
 |
Job Template |
 |
Action Template |
 |
Email Template |
 |
Billing Template |
|
Template Manager |
Advantages of using templates
- Speed up the process of logging a job, adding an action or sending an email
- Provides a consistent, common approach to repetitive tasks and workflow
- Helps new users to become productive more readily
- Users can “subscribe” to a short-list of available templates to optimise their use of HelpMaster
Template hierarchy and linking
Templates can be linked to each other to form a workflow model for particular business requirements or processes. This hierarchical linking system conforms to the following template rules.
- Job templates can contain 1 or more Action templates
- Action templates can only contain Email templates, that is, they cannot contain a Job template.
- Action templates can contain 1 or more Email templates
- Email templates cannot contain any other templates
Template job links
At the top of the template hierarchy is the job template, followed by Action templates, and finally email templates.
See Also
The basic template types
Other template information
Feedback
Was this page helpful?
Glad to hear it! Please tell us how we can improve.
Sorry to hear that. Please tell us how we can improve.